The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-24
THE SCOTTISi1, RITE REUNION
Thirty-Five Candidates Yesterday In
vested with the Mysterieso the Order.
The Banquet in the Evening. at Which Judge
Davidson and Other Speakers Interest the
MEMBERSHIPS Of the Work To-Day,

candidates presented themselves for the degrees |
conferred by Saraah Council, P. of j., 10 and |
16o, and were properly instructed, both orally |
and by scenic effects in the lessons of the grade.
DR.. Charles f. Wright, as the presiding officer |
of this body. fully sustained its reputation for
magnificent work and in this he was ably as
sisted by Frank 7. Holiday, as master of cere
monies. and the Masonic choir, which had sew
eral new pieces Of music specially prepared for
the occasion.
At the close of work in the Council. the mem
bers and visitors went to the banquet hall, where
covers had been laid for FIVE hundred people
Fully this number sat down to the tables. After
an invocation by Rev. E. J. Gantz, and an hour
Of feasting. DR.. Charles E. Wright, as master
of ceremonies, called upon Hon. John L. Nc
Master to deliver the address OF welcome. which
he did in happy and telicitous manner. The
first toast on the programme, "Our Country"
was then announced, and Judge Thomas F. Da-
wilson, of Charlottesville, responded to it in
way that frequently caused his hearers to inter-
rupt him with applause. He said
1t is hard tor to meet here this evening, in this
splendid building in the heart of great city, to real
ize, with all that surrounds that less than hun
dred years ago all the territory which now COM
prises the States of Ohio Indiana Illinois, Michigan
and Wisconsin was in the significant language Of
Congress and the Virginia Legislature, Waste and
unappropriated lands" Less easy is it to compre
bend that government founded but little more than
century ago. in land unknown four centuries is
exercising undisputed jurisdiction over go 600
square miles of contiguous territory, occupied by
sixty millions Of people who are annually producing
for export 800. 600 900 bushels of grain and whose
agricultural resources if fully developed, would sus
tain population of thousand millions of people
The discovery OF this country, came about from
that Unsuitable desire to penetrate the unknown.
which PROMPTS to attempt even the vending of the
veil OF the future The desire to look into the beyond
to upft the horizon and see what is on the other
side-this is the most powerful incentive to
discovery in mans nature. 1t this that turned
the PROV OF the Santa Maria toward the Unknown
and held her to her through trackess for
weeks, until first slight breeze from the west then
a few small birds singing morning songs. and weeds
and pieces of wood floating the water, began to re-
vve hope and strengthen expectation. until the of
Land! land' announced that world had been
discovered and new name added to the roll of those
who deserve to be remembered throughout all
time. 1t is this in mans nature that has
laid bare the secrets of the earth and the that
has explored the heavens and mapped them ont that
has attempted with the dead and that psne
trated the forest and blazed out the for cviza
ton land of the savage. But it is not this
that indebted for all that we are Justly proud
OF in the history of country The prosperity of
its people, its benefcent form of government, its
cities, its manufactures, Its power its standing
and greatness among the nations of the earth;
its FARMS its homes its religious and educational ad
to make life happy and existence desirable due
the labors and courage of and women filled with
the spirit of civil and religious liberty, who sought
homes in the wilderness that they might escape
tyranny enjoy freedom of conscience increase the
heritage and better the condition of their children
and establish government founded upon the consent
of the governed What has been the result of the la
bors the deprivatons the exalted patriotism of those
who have preceded us We all know. With the past
we familiar Every true American heart swells
with patriotic pride he reads the history OF his
country The past is but what of the present
and the futures TO this is the vital question. Our
dutyis of the present. The past may light way
and guide steps, but work is to be done
Emerson said. I'VE live in and exceptional
Amercais another name for opportunity. Our whole
history appears like last effort of the Divine Prov
dence in behalf of the human race
Now is our opportunity. Events do not
die their people improve neglect opportunity.
The next twenty five years may not only tx course
five hundred years. The fate of republican govern
mentof civil and religious hberty-for the next five
quarter of century Are there evils threatening
the existence of institutions Are there forces
at work undermining the foundations of struct-
ure! We are as intelligent as any people on earth
Bnt all history proves that intelligence alone will not
enable people to preserve liberty Justice prudence
temperance and forttude essential to the exist
of free institutions. and these must be inter
woven with the manners and breeding OF the people
Nowhere more than here i'll the incubation and ex-
emplihcation of these virtues her masonic chill
dren better country. Again, nothing is
| more certain than that country cannot live
less her people are Homogeneous. Vast as
is territory there is for but people
We have room for all who seek to become American
citizens in all that the name implies But for such
would seek to break up the foundations of society,
and. in the OF liberty, to undermine its temple,
| we have room. Each American citizen owes it to
his country qualify himself for the duties of citi
zenship and to be assiduous in their discharge That
duty which each individual owes to his country cannot
be delegated No thing is necessary in
republic than independent intelligent, individual
! thought and action. These, with purity of purpose
and willingness to sacrifice private interests for the
public veal. will produce uniform administration
of public affairs in the interests of the people Our
form of government is the strongest devised by
man. long the people remain pure and sufficiently
intelligent understand the principles upon which it
is founded but if the people become either ignorant
corrupt then it will be the weakest of all govern
ments, and the prey of ambitious. INSCRIPTIONS
and daring men, Such people are easily blinded by
the glitter of some great name and willingly resign
their power into any hand that is stronger than
theirs Understanding this, it has been the policy in
all ages of those who meditated usurpaton of the
powers and rights of the people to corrupt and de
bauch Them and the very, tribute which the
often the fund which is used to destroy
it. May this never be the fate of beloved coun
tryl May her future be glorious IS her past May
her people always be students of 1.-The Fundamental
principles of civil and religious liberty which form the
basis upon which their States their laws and con
with their lives the right partic in the contro
of public affairs, it has been handed down them
May they practice and encourage broad and liberal
and charitable views and feelings, and educate the
children that they will be free from the miserab,
prejudces petty jealousies and personal pickering
which disturb society and endanger the public wei
fare and peace May they always be faithful in tn,
discharge of all the personal duties of citizenship
digent in the effort to acquire that knowledge which
Is essential to the discharge of these duties. MAJ
they always reverence and obey the laws be toeran
to all, whatever their creed or party and keep brgh
and strong their faith in their country. May each o
States be true that Union to whose grand
| eur they so largely contribute. And when the las
sun sets may it be upon our country-happy, prosper
and Free
At the close of Judge Davidsons address hi
audience, who seemed to be carried away by hi
eloquence and the truth of his remarks, aros
en- masse and gave three cheers for the speake
and his subject and then sung a verse of tn
national hymn. 1.-THE Grand Lodge of Free ant
Accepted Masons of Indiana was responded t.
by Hon. Mortimer Nye of LaPorte, who gave
short and succinct account of the meeting ant
formation Of the first Grand Lodge at Corydon
seventy years ago. At that time nine blu,
lodges composed the membership, but now Their,